The present invention relates generally to data communications and, more particularly, to communication systems and methods that utilize airborne nodes.
Aircraft are often used to deliver cargo to locations on the ground by dropping the cargo from the air. Over the years, various methods have been employed to increase the accuracy associated with releasing the cargo to a designated target area. For example, one prior art system discloses a method that uses a fixed wing airplane to deliver cargo to a specific point on the ground. In this system, the airplane flies in a circular pattern and unrolls a cable as it circles. The airplane is then stalled to allow the cargo to fall to a point on the ground located approximately in the center of the circle. This allows both delivery and pickup to a specific point on the ground.
Another prior art system adds sensors and controls to a payload to simplify delivery of the payload in more varied wind conditions. Such a system allows for some automatic positioning of the payload, thereby reducing the demands on the pilot.
These prior art systems disclose methods for delivering a payload from the air to a target location or picking up a payload from a target location. These prior systems, however, do not disclose techniques for delivering a communications medium to a particular location that may then be connected to a network and communicate with other nodes, such as an airborne communication node.
The use of such airborne communication nodes is very common today in the military and security operations. Typical airborne communication nodes use aerostats, e.g., blimps, to carry sensors and other electronic equipment. The aerostat is often tethered to the ground and flown a mile or more in the air to get a wide area of coverage. The higher the aerostat is flown, the greater the area of visibility. The equipment located in the aerostat then gathers data and transmits the data to ground-based equipment that may be part of a data network. In conventional systems that utilize airborne communication nodes, the data from the airborne node is typically communicated to the land-based nodes using wireless communications. However, in situations that require secure communications between the airborne node and the other nodes, such wireless transmissions are susceptible to being intercepted by unauthorized parties. Accordingly, wireless communications from an airborne node to other nodes are unsuitable for many applications.
Therefore, there exists a need for a method of providing a non-wireless communications link between an airborne node and a non-airborne node.
There also exists a need for a secure method of communicating from an airborne node to a non-airborne node.
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention address these and other needs by delivering a communications link from an aircraft to a target. The communications link may then be connected to a data network. The communications link, consistent with the present invention, may be a fiber optic cable linking an airborne node and a non-airborne node, thereby increasing the security of the data transmitted between the nodes.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a method for providing a communications link from an aircraft to a target is provided. The method includes releasing a first end of a fiber optic cable from the aircraft and lowering the first end of the fiber optic cable to the target. The method also includes connecting the first end of the fiber optic cable to a first device at the target.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for connecting an airborne node to another node is provided in a network including at least one airborne node and at least one other node. The method includes releasing a fiber optic cable from an aircraft, lowering the fiber optic cable to a target near the other node and connecting a first end of the fiber optic cable to the other node. The method also includes attaching at least one device to a second end of the fiber optic cable, placing the at least one device in an aerostat and releasing the aerostat from the aircraft.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing a communication link from a first location to a second location is provided. The method includes releasing a first end of the communication link from an aircraft and lowering a first end of the communication link to the first location. The method also includes flying the aircraft to an area near the second location and releasing the second end of the communication link from the aircraft.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided. The system includes an airborne node and at least one other node. The other node may be land-based or sea-based. The system also includes a fiber optic cable configured to connect the airborne node and the at least one other node to allow for communication between the nodes.